Once you have clubroot in your soil you are stuck with it and very unlikely to ever be clubroot free but you can continue to grow brassicas successfully with club root resistant varieties.

Over the last years the number of chemicals available to the gardener seems to do nothing but fall. Partially this is due to the enormous cost of putting chemicals through the tests required by the EU which has killed the small chemical suppliers to the garden market and greater knowledge of the risks and damage that chemicals can cause.

The days of indiscriminately spraying DDT around and using arsenic and mercury in the garden are long gone, but still within living memory!

Luckily for us gardeners and I suppose for the environment, the plant breeders have made some remarkable breakthroughs in producing varieties that are resistant to disease. Incidentally, these are produced with conventional techniques, not genetic modification.

Clubroot is one disease where there is no approved chemical control for the gardener and whilst it is possible to grow brassicas on clubroot infected land it’s not as easy as growing clubroot resistant varieties of brassica.

Clubroot Resistant Brussels Sprouts

Clubroot Resistant Brussels Sprout Crispus F1

This variety is very well adapted to growing under stressed conditions which is a general benefit but best of all it is a Clubroot resistant brussels sprout.

Crispus F1 reliably produces good crops of smooth, dark green sprouts, that hold well on the stalks.

Available from Dobies & Suttons – Brussel Sprouts

Club Root Resistant Swede

Club Root Resistant Swede Invitation

A breeding breakthrough, Invitation is a strong-growing, Clubroot resistant variety which also benefits from Powdery Mildew resistance and improved winter hardiness over other varieties.

This variety has won the coveted RHS ‘Award of Garden Merit’.  Swedes, being in the ground for a long time, are very susceptible to club root so this is a blessing for the grower with an afflicted plot.

Available from Suttons & Dobies – Swede Seeds

Club Root Resistant Cauliflower

Club Root Resistant Cauliflower Clapton

The first cauliflower with Clubroot (Plasmodiophora Brassicae) resistance. Clapton is a versatile late summer to late autumn maturing variety, depending on its sowing time that produces excellent flavoured quality, uniform, large, solid and deep white heads.

It has taken over 18 years of conventional breeding to develop a variety that can combat the devastating brassica disease Clubroot

Available from Thompson & Morgan – Cauliflower Seeds

Club Root Resistant Cabbages

Club Root Resistant Cabbage Kilaxy

Highly resistant to Club Root (Plasmodiophora Brassicae) disease. On trials it produced an excellent crop on infected land where other varieties become stunted and failed.

A top quality late summer/ autumn cabbage of the round headed Dutch White type, with solid compact heads of around 2kg in weight, which both stand and store well.

Available from Suttons & Dobies – Cabbage Seeds

Club Root Resistant Cabbage Kilaton

Kilaton has a high level of Clubroot (Plasmodiophora Brassicae) resistance producing quality, 2kg, autumn ballheads with a solid, dense structure. Superb used for coleslaw, salads or steamed.

Kilaton F1 Hybrid will stand for a long while in the garden and keep in good condition. It also stores exceptionally well over a long period without deterioration allowing gardeners more time to enjoy its delicious flavour.

Available from Thompson & Morgan – Cabbage Seeds

Club Root Resistant Savoy Cabbage Cordesa

Cordesa F1 is the first club root resistant Savoy Cabbage variety from Dobies.  An improved variety, Cordesa produces neat, compact cabbages with heavily crinkled leaves. For Harvest September-early December. A compact and heavy cabbage that stands well too, so you don’t have to harvest it all in one go.

Height 40-50cm (16-20″); spread 40-50cm (16-20″).

Available from Suttons & Dobies – Cabbage Seeds

List of Clubroot Resistant Brassicas

Thanks to Stewart Jones for compiling this list

Clubroot Resistant Red Cabbage

• Huzaro
• Lodero

Clubroot Resistant Round Cabbage

• Tekila
• Kilaton
• Kilaxy
• Kilazol
• Kilaherb
• Kalibro

Clubroot Resistant Savoy Cabbage

• Cordesa F1

Clubroot Resistant Cauliflower

• Clapton
• Clarify
• Clabiny
• Cleobis
• Clarina

Clubroot Resistant Brussels Sprouts

• Cronus
• Crispus
• Cryptus

Clubroot Resistant Calabrese / Broccoli

• Trixie
• Monclano
• Komodo

Clubroot Resistant Swede

• Marian
• Invitation
• Gowrie

All Club Root Resistant Brussels are earlies ie pre Christmas

Further Information on Growing Brassicas

• 12 Tips for Success with Leafy Brassicas
• How to Grow Great Leaf Brassicas
• Fertiliser Requirements of Cabbages & Leafy Brassicas
• Brassica Pests & Problems
• About & Controlling Cabbage Root Fly – Delia radicum brassicae
• Guide to Club Root Plasmodiophora brassicae – Control Clubroot
• Clubroot Resistant Varieties of Brassicas
• Growing Brassicas on a Clubroot Infected Plot